Insider Threat Detection Software: 10 Tools Compared

Find the right insider threat detection tool for your security team’s needs and budget.

Insider threats cost companies $17.4 million per year on average. That’s a 109% increase since 2018, according to the Ponemon Institute’s 2025 Cost of Insider Risks Report. Traditional security tools miss these threats because the attackers already have legitimate access.

The challenge is picking the right tool. Enterprise UEBA platforms cost six figures annually. Employee monitoring software raises privacy concerns. And most solutions focus on internal behavior. They miss compromised credentials entirely.

This guide compares 10 insider threat detection tools across four categories. You’ll learn what each tool does well and where it falls short. Then you can pick the right approach for your security program.

What Is Insider Threat Detection Software?

Firewalls stop external attackers. They can’t stop employees who already have legitimate access.

Traditional security tools assume attackers come from outside. They watch the perimeter. Insider threat detection watches what happens after someone’s already in. CISA’s insider threat guidance emphasizes that detection requires both human and technical elements working together.

For the warning signs these tools look for, see our guide to insider threat indicators.

The tools fall into four main categories. UEBA platforms use machine learning to spot behavioral anomalies. Employee monitoring software records user activity in detail. DLP solutions watch for sensitive data leaving the organization. And credential monitoring catches stolen passwords before attackers exploit them.

Most security teams need a combination. No single tool covers every angle.

What Are the Different Types of Insider Threat Detection Tools?

Each category takes a different approach to the same problem. Understanding the differences helps you build the right stack.

UEBA Platforms

User and Entity Behavior Analytics platforms establish baselines for normal behavior. They use machine learning to flag deviations. When someone accesses files they’ve never touched or logs in from unusual locations, UEBA spots it.

Varonis, DTEX, Exabeam, and Securonix lead this category. These are enterprise tools with enterprise pricing. Expect six-figure annual costs and multi-month implementations.

Employee Monitoring Software

These tools record what employees actually do. Screen captures, keystroke logging, application usage, web browsing. Teramind and Proofpoint ITM (formerly ObserveIT) are the major players.

Employee monitoring provides detailed forensic evidence but raises privacy concerns. Many organizations limit it to high-risk roles or post-incident investigations.

DLP Solutions

Data Loss Prevention tools focus on sensitive data leaving the organization. They watch email attachments, USB transfers, cloud uploads, and printing. Forcepoint and Microsoft Purview include DLP capabilities.

DLP catches data exfiltration but doesn’t address the full insider threat spectrum. A malicious insider might sabotage systems without moving data.

Credential Monitoring

This category fills a gap the others miss. Traditional insider threat tools watch internal behavior. But 20% of insider incidents involve compromised credentials. Employees whose passwords were stolen don’t know their accounts are being misused.

Dark web monitoring catches stolen credentials before attackers use them. This external intelligence complements internal detection tools.

Which Are the Top 10 Insider Threat Detection Tools?

Here’s how the leading tools compare across capabilities and best use cases.

DTEX Systems

DTEX positions itself as the insider risk management leader. The platform combines behavioral analytics with DLP. User activity monitoring rounds out the package.

Strengths:

• Collects less than 5MB per endpoint daily, enabling massive scale
• Scales to 500,000+ endpoints in single deployments
• Meets NITTF government compliance requirements
• i3 managed services include threat hunting support
• Claims 24-hour time-to-visibility with outlier detection in 10 days

Weaknesses:

• Heavy enterprise focus with complex implementation
• Pricing requires custom quotes (expect six figures)
• Overkill for smaller organizations

Best for: Large enterprises and government agencies needing comprehensive insider risk management with dedicated support.

Varonis

Varonis takes a data-centric approach. Instead of watching endpoints, it monitors how users interact with data across cloud and on-premises systems.

Strengths:

• Gartner-recognized UEBA leader
• No endpoint agents required
• ML-based behavioral baselines for every user
• Cross-platform coverage including cloud apps
• Managed Detection and Response (MDDR) option available

Weaknesses:

• Focused primarily on data access patterns
• Limited endpoint behavioral monitoring
• Enterprise pricing with complex licensing

Best for: Organizations prioritizing data protection who want behavioral analytics without endpoint agents.

Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management

If you’re already paying for Microsoft 365 E5, Purview’s insider risk features come included. That makes it the default choice for many Microsoft shops. Microsoft’s documentation covers policy setup and configuration.

Strengths:

• Privacy-by-design with user pseudonymization
• Adaptive Protection adjusts DLP dynamically per user risk
• Native integration with Microsoft security stack
• New network-based detection for GenAI data sharing (January 2026)

Weaknesses:

• Requires Microsoft 365 E5 subscription
• Limited visibility outside Microsoft ecosystem
• Less mature than dedicated UEBA platforms

Best for: Organizations already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem who want insider threat detection without additional vendors.

Exabeam

Exabeam combines SIEM and UEBA capabilities. It’s built for SOC teams who want insider threat detection integrated with their broader security operations.

Strengths:

• Automated threat timelines reconstruct incident sequences
• Strong credential activity monitoring
• SOAR integration for automated response
• Quote from Exabeam: “In 90% of real attacks, we see compromised credentials used”

Weaknesses:

• Requires existing SIEM investment or migration
• Complex implementation and tuning
• Enterprise pricing model

Best for: SOC teams wanting unified SIEM and insider threat detection with automated investigation workflows.

Teramind

Teramind offers the most comprehensive employee monitoring on the market. Screen recording, keystroke logging, application tracking, and more.

Strengths:

• Detailed activity monitoring across all channels
• Session recording provides forensic evidence
• Productivity tracking included
• More affordable than enterprise UEBA platforms
• Works for insider threat detection and workforce analytics

Weaknesses:

• Invasive monitoring raises privacy concerns
• Can damage employee trust and morale
• Requires careful policy and legal review

Best for: Organizations needing detailed employee activity monitoring where privacy concerns are manageable (call centers and financial services, or post-incident investigations).

Proofpoint ITM (formerly ObserveIT)

Proofpoint acquired ObserveIT and rebranded it as Insider Threat Management. It combines user activity monitoring with Proofpoint’s email security intelligence.

Strengths:

• 300+ threat classifications in the Insider Threat Library
• Strong in regulated industries (finance, healthcare)
• Integrates with Proofpoint email security
• Session recording for investigations

Weaknesses:

• No real-time employee monitoring like Teramind
• Limited cloud application visibility
• Complex integration with non-Proofpoint tools
• ObserveIT features being gradually migrated to new platform

Best for: Existing Proofpoint customers in regulated industries who want insider threat detection integrated with email security.

Securonix

Securonix delivers cloud-native SIEM with built-in UEBA. It’s designed for organizations moving security operations to the cloud.

Strengths:

• Cloud-native architecture scales easily
• Behavioral analytics for insider threat detection
• Threat hunting capabilities included
• Good for multi-cloud environments

Weaknesses:

• Enterprise complexity and pricing
• Requires security analyst expertise
• Less focused on insider threats than dedicated tools

Best for: Organizations wanting cloud-native SIEM with insider threat detection capabilities built in.

CrowdStrike Falcon Identity Threat Detection

CrowdStrike added identity threat detection to their endpoint platform. It correlates endpoint telemetry with identity-based attacks.

Strengths:

• Integrates with existing CrowdStrike deployment
• Combines endpoint and identity signals
• Real-time threat intelligence updates
• Strong incident response capabilities

Weaknesses:

• Requires CrowdStrike platform investment
• Identity features are add-on modules
• Not as deep on insider threats as dedicated tools

Best for: Existing CrowdStrike customers who want to add identity-based threat detection without another vendor.

Forcepoint

Forcepoint combines DLP with behavioral analytics. It focuses on protecting data while understanding user intent.

Strengths:

• Strong DLP capabilities for data protection
• Risk-adaptive protection adjusts controls per user
• Content-aware policies for sensitive data
• Good for compliance-driven organizations

Weaknesses:

• DLP-focused rather than comprehensive insider threat
• Less behavioral analytics depth than UEBA leaders
• Complex policy management

Best for: Organizations where data protection and DLP are the primary insider threat concerns.

Breachsense

Breachsense takes a different approach. Instead of watching internal behavior, it monitors external sources where stolen credentials appear.

Strengths:

• Detects compromised credentials before attackers use them
• Monitors dark web markets and stealer logs in real-time
• API-first design for security tool integration
• Transparent usage-based pricing

Weaknesses:

• Not a traditional insider threat tool (no UEBA or employee monitoring)
• Monitors external sources, not internal behavior
• Requires pairing with internal detection tools

Best for: Security teams who want early warning when employee credentials are stolen. Works alongside UEBA or monitoring tools rather than replacing them.

How Do You Choose the Right Insider Threat Detection Tool?

Start with your biggest risk. Different organizations face different insider threat profiles.

Match Tools to Your Primary Risk

If you’re worried about data theft: Varonis or Forcepoint. Data-centric tools catch employees accessing or exfiltrating sensitive information.

If you need detailed forensics: Teramind or Proofpoint ITM. Activity monitoring provides evidence for investigations and legal proceedings.

If you’re a Microsoft shop: Start with Purview. It integrates natively with your existing stack.

If you want behavioral analytics: DTEX, Varonis, or Exabeam. UEBA catches anomalies without invasive monitoring.

If you’re concerned about credential theft: Add Breachsense. Most tools detect compromised credentials being used. Credential monitoring detects them being stolen.

Consider Your Budget Reality

Enterprise UEBA platforms require significant investment plus implementation costs. Platforms like DTEX and Varonis target large enterprises with budgets to match.

Microsoft Purview bundles insider risk features for existing Microsoft customers. That makes it the starting point for many organizations.

Teramind offers per-user monthly pricing. More accessible for smaller organizations or targeted deployments.

API-based tools like Breachsense use consumption-based pricing. You pay for what you query rather than per-seat licensing.

Account for Implementation Time

UEBA platforms need 2-4 weeks minimum to establish behavioral baselines. During this learning period, you won’t get meaningful alerts. Full deployment often takes 2-3 months including tuning.

Employee monitoring tools deploy faster but require policy and legal review first. Don’t skip the HR and legal conversations.

Microsoft Purview deploys quickly for existing M365 environments. Basic policies can be active in days.

What Do Traditional Insider Threat Tools Miss?

Most insider threat detection focuses inward. Tools watch what employees do inside your network. But a growing category of threats originates externally.

The Compromised Credential Gap

Many insider incidents involve compromised credentials. These are employees whose passwords were stolen through phishing or infostealer malware. The employee has no idea their account is being used by someone else.

From your UEBA platform’s perspective, this looks like normal user behavior. The credentials are real. The access might match the user’s typical patterns. Traditional tools struggle to distinguish between the legitimate employee and an attacker impersonating them.

External Intelligence Fills the Gap

Dark web monitoring catches what internal tools miss. When employee credentials appear in stealer logs or third-party breaches, you get alerted before attackers exploit them.

This external intelligence complements internal detection. UEBA watches behavior inside your network. Credential monitoring watches for your data appearing outside it.

The combination matters. According to Exabeam, 90% of real attacks involve compromised credentials. Catching stolen passwords early prevents the attacks that internal tools would struggle to detect.

Building a Complete Detection Stack

No single tool covers everything. A mature insider threat program typically combines:

1. UEBA or behavioral analytics for anomaly detection
2. DLP for data exfiltration prevention
3. Credential monitoring for stolen password detection
4. Investigation tools for incident response

The right mix depends on your risk profile and budget. Start with your biggest gap and expand from there.

Conclusion

Insider threats cost $17.4 million annually on average. Detection averages 81 days. The right tools cut that window significantly.

Key takeaways for tool selection:

• UEBA platforms like Varonis and DTEX provide behavioral analytics for enterprises willing to invest six figures annually
• Microsoft Purview offers solid insider risk detection for organizations already paying for E5 licenses
• Employee monitoring from Teramind provides detailed forensics but raises privacy concerns
• Credential monitoring catches the 20% of incidents involving stolen passwords that internal tools miss

Most organizations need a combination. Internal behavioral analytics paired with external credential monitoring covers more attack vectors than either approach alone.

For detailed warning signs to configure in your detection tools, see our guide to insider threat indicators. To check if your organization’s credentials are already exposed, run a dark web scan.